sosgemini said:

On the converse, Kate Bush's album is also proof that the fans of many artists who wait decades to release new music (see Stevie Wonder also) are so happy to hear new material that they force themselves to believe the artists' new releases are creative and inspiring.

Aerial as well as A Time 2 Love sound dated and were given praise that wasn't so deserved. They are both decent albums but there is nothing fresh about either one of them.

I'm sorry I still believe that Prince is one of the few artists who is held to this unjust standard. Every fanbase wants their favorite artist to reach new heights and uncover new territory but Prince fans are the only ones who are just absolutely unreasonable about it. It seems that they are too scared to find artists who are making fresh, creative and inspiring music and they expect someone who did it 20+ years ago to be able to do it in a drastically different musical climate.

At this point, Prince fans are the only ones who can't accept "good enough". As long as he doesn't resort to Kirky J programming and doing his best to appeal to the TRL crowd I'm happy with that. I just want to hear an album that I can honestly say as a listener, "Yeah he put his best effort into that".

A damn near 50-year-old Prince is beyond all the "cutting edge" bullshit. This has absolutely nothing to do with his current religion and beliefs. I base this opinion strictly on his age. What 47 year old entertainer do you know that hasn't become Vegas-y in the golden years of their career? His peers as well as artists before him who are still recording aren't given that expectation. (Madonna fans wanna pretend she's "Re-inventing herself and relevant.. but that's a different story) Why should Prince?

If you wanna judge the music on your personal tastes, fine. Do that. But I'm sick of all of this talk of wanting Prince to be "cutting edge", "challenging" and "inspiring". That just ain't gonna happen no more. It's "challenging" enough to attempt to find a place for anyone 35 and older in today's musical climate. Just because the music didn't match your preference isn't Prince's fault. It's not your fault as a listener either. But if Prince doesn't meet your needs anymore, then it's time to let go. It doesn't make him less or more of a captivating artist, it doesn't make you any less or more of a music listener with discriminating taste. It just means the relationship is over. Whether you've been a fan of his music for 25 years or for 2 years, it doesn't matter. Some of you all need to stop pretending like you can't control getting sucked back into the purple vortex. And some of you just need to accept Prince's music for what it is right now.

Meloh9 said:

Electro is just another extension of Funk and was greatly influenced from the synth used on songs like Parliament's Flash Light where the bassline is played on Key Boards, Not Just Knee Deep, and Roger Troutman. Also the concept of "minneapolis sound" was simply funk with the horn parts being played on Keyboards and it was started in the 70's. True funk heads did not make as great of a distinction as you may think and I disagree.

psykosoul said:

Good post man! Now that's telling it like it is. All these folks on here calling on Prince to retire ought to read this.

And that's what the funk fans of the 1980s were wanting from Prince....synths, not horns. That's the kind of funk that made Prince a star on R&B radio for years and that's the kind of funk people continued wanting. Regardless of when they were first used, Prince, as well as many others, became famous with this sound in the 1980s. This is what he was known for. If people had wanted horns in the 1980s, they would have went and bought a bunch of old James Brown records but when people heard synthesizers, they immediately thought "Prince".

Most of Prince's old R&B fans were happy with Jesse Johnson, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' productions, and Andre Cymone's production of Jody Watley....the synth sound. Many were leaving Prince left and right during this time.
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[Edited 12/14/05 17:29pm]

I'm in agreement with a lot that has been said about Prince, as well as Stevie, etc. For popular music, the window of opportunity is not open for a long period of time. Too many factors are involved for Prince or Stevie (or whomever) to be what they used to. Age is one. Money is another. Are these musicians still talented? Of course they are. (Note I said musicians)So at this point, your best bet is to see them perform live. That is where you will see them at their best.

For example, to me, the recorded version of Round and Round was horrible. But when Tevin and the NPG did that bad boy on Arsenio it was rearranged and slammin'. The same could be said of Prince doing Musicology on this last tour. The single was ok, but the rearrangement was much better.

People cry and whine about wanting to see and hear the "old" Prince. These same people know that he is a genius and no genius has ever remained the same. Go through history and cite any other genius in any other field and you will find this to be true. The abillity and the need to constantly explore new horozins is what makes them geniuses in the first place. Look at how Miles Davis revolutionized jazz several times over throughout his career. No one took a bashing like he did when he started using electric intruments and rock musicians. Little did people know that they were being introduced to a brand new musical genre that lives today!

If Prince did what he used to do, these same fans would blast him for not being cutting edge anymore. Prince could be up to Purple Rain 5 now and be just taking the money. Any fan that is old enough to remember how Prince made the statement that he would not be cashing in will remember the uproar that Around the World in a Day made on the heels of Purple Rain. Prince threw everyone a hard left turn.

What would be sadder than anything is Prince out there rehashing Purple rain or SOTT or anything else from the 80s. It would be immediately recognized and scorned - and rightfully so - especially coming from an artist with the ability, vision, skills, and genius of Prince. There were enough clones back in the 80s. There are still some today. Go to them for 80s Prince sound. Prince is going to give us the Prince of 2day and I will take that every time.
[Edited 12/12/05 12:12pm]
[Edited 12/12/05 12:35pm]

Yes! You are 100% correct!
Also, it's like I've been saying: Prince isn't the problem, they are. Ultimately, it's their loss.

audience1 said:

wait a minute..why does "anyone" have to have a problem? you like the music? super...they dont? super..

and life moves on..